Iva Koleva
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Hi Lois, Is there a map of the World of the Five Gods that also includes the locations for the Penric and Desdemona stories? I know you have mentioned that Chalion and Ibra are loosly based on the Iberian peninsula (inverted), does the similarity to Europe end there? I kind of imagine that Weald is somewhere around Germany, and Cedonia maybe Italy, am I way off?
Lois McMaster Bujold
Cedonia is vaguely Greece and Italy munged together. This world lacks an Italian peninsula as such, although I posit a chain of islands in their place.
I have not yet devised a map for this region, as I haven't finished making it up yet. Stories have to pass through to call their landscapes into existence.
The Weald as an inverted sort-of Germany is correct, and Penric's native cantons are vaguely Swiss. Further correspondences may or may not happen, depending on my tales' needs for pre-fab world-building. People should not get too carried away with matching games; this is not historical fiction with the serial numbers filed off, for all that I may use dismembered bits of history as plausible (or, sometimes, completely incredible, because history offers a lot of no-one-could-make-this-up moments) jumping-off points.
Ta, L.
Cedonia is vaguely Greece and Italy munged together. This world lacks an Italian peninsula as such, although I posit a chain of islands in their place.
I have not yet devised a map for this region, as I haven't finished making it up yet. Stories have to pass through to call their landscapes into existence.
The Weald as an inverted sort-of Germany is correct, and Penric's native cantons are vaguely Swiss. Further correspondences may or may not happen, depending on my tales' needs for pre-fab world-building. People should not get too carried away with matching games; this is not historical fiction with the serial numbers filed off, for all that I may use dismembered bits of history as plausible (or, sometimes, completely incredible, because history offers a lot of no-one-could-make-this-up moments) jumping-off points.
Ta, L.
More Answered Questions
Ann Perrone
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Mind if I make a comment? Two of the joys of my life have been introducing the VSaga to my now-adult son and having a shared shorthand for expressing ideas, and introducing the series to my husband! Having run out of paperback editions for him to read (I blame my son..) we started listening to the audiobooks whenever we're in the car together. What a delightful way to spend quality time!
Gordon
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Are the Vorkosigan Saga's two hatchet-faced men related? Cordelia's first impresson of Sgt. Bothari matches Tej's first impression of Emperor Gregor in this vividly evocative way. Bothari has protection within the military despite the trouble that his Yuri-like disorder causes, and his dislike of Vor seems like it could stem from feelings of abandonment. Is Bothari a son (maybe even the eldest) of Ezar?
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